Curtain fixture



-1, 1930- J. L. MOHUN ET AL. 1,784,375

CURTAIN FIXTURE Filed Dec. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec; 9, 1930. J. MOHUN ET AL CURTAIN FIXTURE 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Dec. 9. 1929 in m Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITE srss JOHN L. MOHUN AND HENRY PIESCH, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIG-NORS TO NATIONAL ATENT OFFICE LOCK WASHER COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEV] JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY Application filed December 9, 1929.

Thisinvention relates to curtain fixtures that are used in connection with windows of railroad cars, and has for its object to improve on the construction shown and described in the pending application, Serial No. 412,608 filed on even date herewith.

In said pending application the two brake rods that were operated in connectionwiththe shoes or members that contacted the sides of the window casing, were each urged by spring means outwardly so as to cause said members to bear with more or less force against the sides of the window casing, but the present improvement does away entirely with any spring means immediately associated with the brake rods and accomplishes with a single spring the functions heretofore performed by the two springs and also cooperates in the adjustment of the tension of said shoes or nembersagainstthe sides of the window casmg. 7

the present invention has nothing whatever to do with the construction or operation of these shoes or members but aims solely to effect and regulate their pressure against the sides of the window casing without changing the distance between said shoes or members. Accordingly the drawings illustrate two styles of curtain fixtures that are so similar in structure and operation that this invention is applied thereto in the same manner in each instance, and each style will be described somewhat in detail in order that the character of the invention and its ready adaptation to both styles will be fully understood.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation partly broken and sectioned illustrating our improvement applied to one style of fixture- Figure 2 is a section at the line 2-2 of Figure 1 Figure 3 1s a partly brokenand sectioned elevation showing amodification of our invention, and

Figure A is a view similar to Figure l but showing the invention applied to another style of fixture.

Similar numerals of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

Referring particularly to Figures 1, 2 and CURTAIN FIXTURE Serial No. 412,628.

3, l is the hollowbottom bar made of an integral piece of steel whose edges are at the top of the bar between which edges the lower part of the curtain 2 is suitably clamped, as shown and described in our pending application Serial No. 412,627 filed on even date herewith, and, as the securing of the curtain to the bottom bar has nothing to do with the present invention, no description thereof will be given herein.

3 is the usual spring roller around which the curtain iswound at the top and which always exerts a tendency to wind the curtain.

4 are blocks which are secured within the bar 1 near the outer ends thereof in any suitablejmanner, as by screw 5, shown in the in stance of one of the blocks at Figure 2, and 6 are what will be termed shoes that are elongated and havethreaded sleeves 7 that extend inwardly therefrom and are driven upon threaded posts 8 that project outwardly from the end blocks 4.

9 are blocks that are movably disposed within the bar 1 in spaced relation to each other and also to the end blocks 1, and these.

tend outwardly through openings 13 in the bar 1 so as to be readily available for use outside the bar.

It is important to note that, in the construction shown in the pending application Serial No. 12,608, aforesaid, these brake rods pass loosely through the blocks 9, whereas, in the present instance, said rods are threaded within said blocks. j

The outer extremities of these rods 10 may be pivoted as at 14: to cams 15 that have lower tail projections 16 that are pivoted within the shoes at 17, so that it will be clear that the outward movements of these rods will force these cams against the floors 18 of the grooves at the sides of the window casing so as to hold is confined between the collar 22 and this last lax the cams so as to enable the curtain to be readily adjusted.

19; is an elongated stem which passes loose- 'ly through one of the end blocks 4 and has a screw head 20 on its end immediatey outside said'block, and this stem has a threadedconne'ction'through;'oneof the movable blocks 9 and passes loosely throughthe other block 9.

In the construction shown at Figure 1, this stem 19 is threaded'at 21 andengages within a threaded'portion of the nigh block'9,"the

stem immediately beyond this threadedipontion 2 1being reduced in diameter for convenience in assembly, a collar 22 being placedv around this reduced portion'of the stem and located against the shoulder formed by said reduction, while the outer end of the reduced portionofthe stem extends loosely through the other'Yblock-9, and a coil spring 23 surrounds this reduced portion of the stem and named block.

. It 'will thusbe clear that the force of the spring has a tendency to drive the nigh block,v outwardly, the reaction of said spring like wise tending to drive the other block out- 7 wardly, and this will, of course, cause the .pand'and relieve the against the floors 1 8.

cams to'bear with force against'the, floors 18.

By engaging the head 20with' a screw driver passed th'roughithe end of the bar l-the stem 19 may be operated'to drive its threaded portion further into thenigh block 9,

thus compressingthe spring, and causing said .cams to bear with greater force against the floor 18, while'the' turning of the stem in the reverse direction will allow the spring to expressure of the cams Referring to the construction shown at Figure, 3, the extremity'of the stem 19 is threaded as seen at 24 and engages within a threaded p'ortion in the further block9,1the

' stem passing loosely through the high block soas to be spaced from the further blok't);

, In this last named construction it willbe noted that if the stem is'operated to drive the threaded portion 24 further along through 9, and the coil spring 23 surro'unds'the stem 19 and is confined. between theinigh 'block'9 and a'collarfl25 that isfixed on. thestem"19 its associated block 9,-this collar 25 willbe moved nearer said block and therefore the tension on thespring will be relaxed,;and, on the other hand, if the stem be operatedto withdraw the threaded portion 241 through its associated block, this will cause the collar 25 to compress the spring and'place a greater tensionthere'on.

It will'be clear th-atthe compressionof the spring will oauseitto react on both ofi theblocks 9,"while its relaxation willlikewise causefthe tension on said blocks tobe lesscribed" I 6 iIni the constructions .above 2 described, the

V with, it.-

sened, for-the purpose hereinbefore :de-.

collars 22 and 25 are, in efiect, shouldered portions on the adjusting stem 19, and it will be observed that in the constructions shown at both Figure 1 and Figure 3, the spring 23 isc-onfined between a shouldered portion on thisstem and'the block 9 most distant therefrom, and it is therefore immaterial'as to which of the blocks 9 has threaded connection with this stem 19. I p

Acharacteristic of the style of fixture shown at Figure 1 isth'atthe shoes have threaded connection with the stationary 1 blocks 4, and in adapting the fixture to a win- I dow casing the shoesare revolved in the direction necessary to cause the fixture'to initially fittbetweenthe sides of the Window casing,

and this revolutionmust be communicated to v blocks4,and the outer ends of the rods'lO likewisepass looselythrough theseblo cks and p are secured to said shanks, .as by a threaded connection therewith, and preterabl pins 29 are driven through these shanks and project into elongated slots 30 formed in opposite sides ofthe posts 28 for. the purpose of keepingthe shoes vertical. But this pin and'slot' provision is not always utilized since it is not essential.- a Otherwise,than asjust described, this fixture shownwat Figure {l'is identical with-that shown atFi ure '1, the only difierencebe'ing that in the .igure 1 Iconst-ructionthe shoes are stationary sok'farlas springinfluence is concerned, butcarry members that are acted I uponby the springs, while inthe construction shownat'Figure anthe shoes themselves are the members that-are directly influenced by the springs. 'But, in either constructiom. there is frequentlylan excessive or an inadequate pressure of: the cam or "shoe; members againstthegrooves at ..the sides of the win dow casing, in theone'instance makingthe operation .of raising or lowering the curtain unnecessarily diific'ult, and in the otherinstance causing the-spring in the roller 3'7to overcomethe friction of the members "that cannot'be maintained in a lowered position; It is therefore very essential that some means should be provided for readily-adjust ingathetension of this spring 23,

Thilepinchbars have been shown and described in econnectionwith thebrake rods,

' bear against said grooves, so'that thejcurtain' V they are not necessary and may be omitted, since the adjustment; of the tension of the spring element may readily be made so that the curtain can be raised and lowered by grasping the lower edge of the curtain and pushing it up or pulling it down, and therefore the invention is not limited in this respect. But it is preferred to use the pinch bars since their function is well understood and no attention need be given to nicety of adjustment of the tension of the spring element.

The object of this invention being solely to regulate the pressure of the shoes or parts carried thereby against the side grooves in the window casing without changing the distance between said shoes or parts, the actual construction and means employed for effecting a pressure against the slidable blocks and brake rods, whereby the shoes are always resiliently forced against the ways in the sides of the window casing, is immaterial and has nothing to do with the present invention, since it is merely necessary that some spring means should be employed in connection with said movable blocks to normally force said blocks apart so as to effect the pressure of said shoes against said grooves and therefore the invention is not limited in these respects.

vVhat is claimed is 1. A curtain fixture for a window, compri ing a bottom bar to which the lower edge of the curtain is secured, blocks near the ends of said bar, members supported by said blocks and extending beyond the bar and adapted to track within suitable ways in the sides of the window casing, spaced movable blocks, brake rods extending loosely through said end blocks and having operative connection with said members and secured at their inner ends to said movable blocks, and spring means acting upon said movable blocks and functioning to normally force the latter apart.

2. A curtain fixture for a window, com prising a bottom bar to which the lower edge of the curtain is secured, blocks near the ends of said bar, members supported by said blocks and extending beyond the bar and adapted to track within suitable ways in the sides of the window casing, spaced movable blocks, brake rods extending loosely through said end blocks and having operative connection with said members and secured at their inner ends to said movable blocks, spring means acting upon said movable blocks and functioning to normally force the latter apart, and means for adjusting said spring means.

3. A curtain fixture for a window, comprising a hollow bottom bar made of metal within the upper edge of which bar the lower edge of the curtain is secured, blocks fixed within said bar near the ends thereof, memextending loosely through said end blocks and having operative connection with said members and secured at their inner ends to i said movable blocl;s,.and spring means acting upon said movable blo'clzs and functioning to normally force the latter apart.

A. A curtain fixture for a window, comprising a hollow bottom bar made of metal within the upper edges of which bar the lower edge ofthe curtain is, secured, blocks fixed within said bar near the ends thereof, members supported by said blocks and extending beyond the bar and adapted to track within suitable ways in the sides of the window casing, spaced movable blocks within said bar near the central portion thereof, brake rods extending loosely through said end blocks and having operative connection with said members and secured at their inner ends to said movable blocks, spring means acting upon said movable blocks and functioning to normally force the latter apart, and means for adjusting said spring means.

A curtain fixture for a window, comprising a bottom bar to which the lower edge of the curtain is secured, blocks fixed within said bar near the ends thereof, members supported by said blocks and extending beyond the'bar and adapted to track within suitable ways in the sides of the window casing, spaced movable blocks within said bar near the central portion thereof, brake rods extending loosely through said end blocks and having operative connection with said members and threaded at their inner ends within said movable blocks, an elongated stem passing loosely through one of the movable blocks and having a threaded connection with the other movable block, a shouldered portion rigid with said stem, and spring means acting upon said movable blocks and functioning to normally force said members against said ways without changing the distance between said members.

6. A curtain fixture for a window, comprising a bottom bar to which the lower edge of the curtain is secured, blocks fixed within said bar near the ends thereof, members supported by said blocks and extending beyond the bar and adapted to track within suitable ways in the sides of the window casing, spaced movable blocks within said bar near the central portion thereof, brake rods extending loosely through said end blocks and having operative connection with said members and threaded at their inner ends within said movable blocks, and spring means between said blocks and acting to hold said members in resilient contact with said ways.

7 A curtain fixture for a window, comtending loosely through said end blocks and prising a bottom bar to which thelower edge 7 i 7 of. the curtainis secured, blocks fixed within said bar near the ends thereofylnemberssupported by said blocks and extending beyond the bar and adapted to track within suitable Ways in the sides of the window casing;

spaced movable blocks within said bar, near the central portion thereof, brake rods exhaving operative connection withsaid members-and threaded at their inner ends within said-movableblocks, spring means between said blocksiand acting to hold said members in resilient contact with said ways,:and means said movable blocks, an elongated sternipass- "ing loosely through one of the movable blocks 1 and having a'threaded' connection with the other movable block, a shouldered portion 7 rigid with said stem, and spring means in-' for adjusting said springmeans.

- 8. A curta n fixture for a wlndow, comprising a bottom bar to which the lower edge a of the curtain is secured, blocks fixed within said bar near the ends thereof, members supported by said blocks and extending beyond the bar and adapted to track within suitable ways in the sides of the window casing, spaced movable blocks within said bar near the central portion thereof, brake rods extending loosely through said end blocks and having operative connection with said membersandthreaded at the r inner ends within terposed between said movable blocks and I functioning to exert a pressure against said shouldered portion and slidable block through which said stem freely extends.

In .testimony whereof we afiix our signatures hereto. 1

JOHN L: MOHUN. HENRY PIESGH. 

